Salty Rat Bastard

The Story

For the past 30 years, Tim and his wife, Sherri, have spent more time staring through a windshield than most people spend sitting on their couch. Their construction business kept them on the road nearly 300 days a year, traveling from jobsite to jobsite installing conveyor systems for the grain industry. While most folks were bitching about their commute, Tim and Sherri were hauling tools, chasing deadlines, and getting the job done wherever the road took them.

You might think that after spending most of the year working away from home, Tim would kick back, crack open a cold one, and do absolutely nothing when he finally returned.

Not a chance.

Tim’s idea of relaxing was heading straight to the garage and building cars. With limited time between jobs, there was no room for dragging his feet or spending five years staring at an unfinished project. He had to hustle, and hustle he did—knocking out complete car builds in ridiculously short stretches, with some finished in less than 18 days.

That kind of pace takes skill, stubbornness, and more than a few late nights fueled by caffeine, busted knuckles, and questionable decisions.

Eventually, three decades of hard travel started catching up with Tim and Sherri. But Tim was never the type to retire quietly, buy a recliner, and disappear into obscurity.

Instead, he changed gears.

Today, Tim has taken the same work ethic, craftsmanship, and no-bullshit attitude that built conveyor systems and custom cars and turned it toward home improvement. From man caves and bathrooms to complete home upgrades, Tim is still building—just a little closer to home.

Because men like Tim don’t really retire.

They just find new shit to build.

How it Started

As most car guys know, the best builds rarely begin with a perfectly organized plan, a fat budget, and every part neatly lined up on a shelf. More often than not, they start when an opportunity drops into your lap and you’re crazy enough to run with it.

That’s exactly how this build came together.

One of Tim’s friends had plans to build a rat rod and managed to get his hands on a cab from a 1930 Ford Model A. The project started with chopping three inches out of the cab and welding everything back together.

But once the sparks stopped flying, the original owner realized he had bitten off more than he could chew. He didn’t have the time or the fabrication skills needed to give the build the attention it deserved.

So, he offered the chopped Model A cab to Tim.

Tim didn’t need to be asked twice.

What started as somebody else’s unfinished project quickly became Tim’s next obsession. Just 45 days later, that lonely old cab had been transformed into a finished rat rod.

Because when the right pile of rusty metal lands in Tim’s garage, it doesn’t sit around collecting dust.

It gets built.

Tim has finished enough builds to know one undeniable truth: a car is never really done.

There is always something to rebuild, relocate, improve, upgrade, or completely tear apart because a better idea showed up at two in the morning. But for this project, Tim wanted more than another cool rat rod. He wanted something different—something a true builder would notice, even if the average spectator walked right past it.

The secret was in the frame.

Tim found a company in Missouri that specialized in custom-built frames. Using his previous experience with CAD, he mapped out exactly what he needed: a frame strong enough for the build, but flexible enough to keep evolving whenever Tim decided to change things up.

Instead of permanently welding every bracket and mount directly to the frame, he designed it with strategically placed bolt holes. Removable steel plates could be bolted into position, and the mounts would be welded directly to those plates.

That meant no repeatedly cutting, grinding, and welding on the main frame every time the build changed.

Fuck something up?

No big deal.

Unbolt the plate, throw the bastard in the scrap pile, make another one, and start over.

It is the kind of detail most people will never notice, but real builders understand immediately. The frame was not designed just to finish one car—it was designed to let Tim keep experimenting, rebuilding, and improving the car for years to come.

Because when you know the build is never truly finished, you build the foundation accordingly.

The Exterior

It is damn near impossible to take a “quick walk” around this rat.

Every time I thought I had seen it all, another small detail stopped me in my tracks. Even after several laps around the car, I kept discovering pieces I had somehow missed the time before.

That is the difference between a car that was simply assembled and one that was truly built.

The outside of this rat showcases Tim’s commitment to the project, along with his skills as a welder, fabricator, and straight-up mechanical artist. Every bracket, weld, panel, and oddball piece looks like it belongs exactly where he put it.

Nothing feels accidental.

Some details jump out immediately, while others are hidden in plain sight, waiting for a real car guy to notice them. The average spectator might see an old rusty hot rod. A true enthusiast sees the hours of fabrication, problem-solving, creativity, and probably a fair amount of cussing that went into every inch.

This is not a build you glance at and walk away from.

It is the kind of rat that keeps pulling you back for one more look.

The first detail that immediately grabs your attention is the twisted little garden ornament Tim “borrowed” from his wife’s flower bed and gave a much better home—right on the front of the rat. What was once harmless yard art is now a rusty, bug-eyed hood mascot with more personality than most modern cars.

The spiderweb covering the grille was hand-fabricated from perfectly aged, naturally pre-patinaed 5/16-inch round rod, giving the front end that nasty, rusted-out rat rod attitude.

Of course, you can’t build a web without giving it a spider.

Using pieces most people would have tossed straight into the scrap bin, Tim fabricated a rusty little predator of his own—complete with its latest catch: a miniature bottle of Pendleton whisky. It’s the perfect example of what makes this build so damn fun. Around here, nothing is garbage if you have a welder, an imagination, and enough bad ideas.

Most men would rather chew broken glass than take a trip to Hobby Lobby with their wife—but Tim nutted up, walked through those doors, and damn near found inspiration in the Halloween aisle.

With the rat always on his mind, he remembered friends whose cars had suffered electrical damage from rodents chewing through wiring. Then he spotted these creepy little Halloween decorations and immediately knew where they belonged.

Tim bought a handful and scattered the mischievous bastards throughout the engine compartment, each one posed with its grubby little teeth wrapped around a wire. It’s a funny detail at first glance, but it also tells a story every car guy understands: sometimes the smallest little asshole can create the biggest electrical nightmare.

This little bastard is named Lucky. Handcrafted by Scotty’s Kustomz Art & Metal (click on link to Scotty's Facebook page), he sits tucked behind the headers like a grease-covered inmate staring out through prison bars.

So why call him Lucky?

Because for some damn reason, this incredible rat rod was overlooked by the show judges. Fortunately, the crew from O’Brien’s Pub, one of the event’s biggest sponsors, saw what the clipboards missed. They recognized the craftsmanship, creativity, and attitude packed into Tim’s build—and made sure he went home with a well-deserved award.

Sometimes you don’t need a judge to tell you something is badass. You just need someone smart enough to actually look.

You never know when inspiration is going to hit—and this time it sucker-punched Tim in the middle of an antique shop.

Growing up, he loved playing with old cap guns, the kind of toy that once kept boys entertained for hours before everything had to be wrapped in bubble wrap and approved by a committee. For a moment, Tim was pulled straight back into his childhood—but then the builder in him took over.

Looking closer, he realized the little pistol had just enough usable metal to turn an old memory into part of the rat rod. After some cutting, fitting, and welding, Tim found the perfect home for it: mounted directly to the oil dipstick.

What started as a forgotten toy collecting dust in an antique shop is now one of those hidden details that makes this build so damn special. Because on a true rat rod, even checking the oil should have a little attitude.

Now, if this doesn’t make you laugh, you’re definitely reading the wrong damn article.

Tim has always been a fan of the iconic Mack Trucks bulldog, so when he came across one of the old hood ornaments, he knew it had to become part of the build. But Tim is a custom fabricator, and simply welding the bulldog onto the car would have been far too easy—and nowhere near inappropriate enough.

Then he remembered a ridiculous keychain he had picked up in Sturgis, complete with two oversized chrome balls. Tim drilled a hole through the bulldog, ran the chain through it, and mounted the whole questionable creation directly in front of the air intake.

The final result is even funnier when the engine is running. As the rat shakes, rumbles, and growls, the bulldog’s balls bounce against the intake like they’re fighting for their lives.

It serves absolutely no practical purpose—which makes it one of the best damn details on the entire car.

The Engine

Sitting deep in the belly of this rat is an early GM small-block 350 built into a 383 stroker. Perched on top is an old-school 6-71 Hampton blower, force-feeding air into the engine and helping it crank out close to 600 horsepower at full throttle.

Tim didn’t build it just strong enough to survive today’s setup, either. The internals were assembled to handle as much as 1,000 horsepower, leaving plenty of room for whatever ridiculous upgrade he dreams up next. Because, as we all know, a build is never really finished—it’s just waiting for more power.

And that old Miller beer can strapped to the engine?

That isn’t there because Tim got thirsty halfway through the build. It cleverly hides the boost gauge, positioned so he can read it from the driver’s seat while the blower is busy cramming air down the engine’s throat.

Horsepower, fabrication, and cold-beer camouflage—exactly the kind of engineering a proper rat rod deserves.

The exhaust started life as a set of T-bucket headers gifted to Tim. They were already cracked when he got them—and they’ve continued cracking ever since. Most builders would have thrown them in the scrap pile and ordered a new set, but Tim isn’t in any hurry to replace them. Every time another crack appears, he fires up the welder, burns it shut, and adds another scar to the story.

At this point, the repairs have become part of the exhaust’s character. And knowing Tim, don’t be surprised if the next time you see this rat, there’s a set of flamethrowers hanging off the ends of those street sweepers—because apparently 600 horsepower, open headers, and bad decisions still aren’t quite enough.

The Transmission

Backing up that blown 383 is a Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission pulled from a 1964 Corvette. It’s controlled through a set of Wilwood pedals, giving Tim the proper old-school connection between man, machine, and whatever poor set of rear tires happens to be on the car.

All that power is sent through a Halibrand quick-change rear end fitted with an Eaton Detroit Locker. Under straight-line acceleration, the locker keeps both rear wheels pulling together so every bit of torque gets planted into the pavement. When Tim dives into a corner, it allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds, giving the rat better control instead of trying to shove it straight through the turn.

One of the coolest features of the Halibrand rear end is how quickly the gear ratio can be changed. With only a few tools, Tim can swap gears for comfortable highway cruising or set it up for harder acceleration and racing. It’s old-school engineering that lets the car change personalities without tearing half the damn drivetrain apart.

Up front, the suspension uses a set of standard AFCO shocks, while the rear rides on coil overs pulled from a late-model race car. It may look like a pile of rusty bad decisions from across the parking lot, but underneath it is a purpose-built suspension designed to keep this animal under control.

The front-end rolls on narrow pizza-cutter tires wrapped around a pair of wheels designed by legendary custom-car builder Gene Winfield. They give the rat that classic, stripped-down hot rod stance while keeping the front light and mean.

The rear is an entirely different story.

Tim needed enough rubber to make sure the engine’s torque ended up on the pavement instead of instantly turning into smoke. His answer was a pair of massive 18-inch-wide Mickey Thompson tires mounted on plain black steel wheels and finished with baby-moon hubcaps.

No fancy billet wheels. No polished nonsense. Just a serious amount of meat tucked under the back of the car, ready to hook when Tim buries the throttle.

Bringing the whole pissed-off creation to a stop are disc brakes at all four corners from Speedway Engineering. Because building a 600-horsepower rat rod is one thing—being able to stop the bastard is another.

The Interior

Getting into this rat is an experience all its own. Forget polished billet handles—you’ll first have to avoid the pair of old muskrat traps doubling as door handles. They’re rusty, mean-looking, and perfectly suited to a car that seems ready to bite anyone who gets too comfortable around it.

Inside, Tim fabricated a roll cage that does more than surround the driver. It helps tie the aging body together and provides a solid structure for mounting the rat’s interior guts. On a car built from nearly century-old steel, sometimes the cage isn’t just part of the cabin—it’s what keeps the whole damn package working together.

Climbing over that cage isn’t exactly graceful, so the steering wheel is attached with a quick-release coupler. Pop it loose, move it out of the way, and there’s enough room to crawl into the driver’s seat without folding yourself into a position that requires medical attention.

Like nearly everything else on the build, the steering wheel comes with a story. Tim formed it from industrial chain he picked up at his uncle’s brick plant in New Mexico. Once he had the chain bent into the proper shape, he tack-welded every link together, turning a pile of loose steel into one hell of a custom wheel.

Mounted in the center is a chrome hub salvaged from a car Tim once wrecked. During that crash, his face hit the wheel hard enough to eventually require around $20,000 in dental work. Most people would have thrown the damn thing away. Tim bolted it into another car and turned it into part of the story.

The seats are another lesson in rat rod problem-solving. They were pulled from an old golf cart, but the original shape didn’t work with the cramped interior. Tim’s solution was simple: flip the bastards upside down. The original seatbacks became the bottoms, and the bottoms became the backs.

Comfortable? Apparently enough.

Normal? Not even close.

Perfect for this build? Absolutely.

To bang through the gears, Tim fabricated a one-of-a-kind revolver-style shifter and finished it with a set of pistol grips borrowed from one of Sherri’s guns. The result looks like something ripped straight out of a Western—if the cowboy had a blown 383 rat rod instead of a horse.

As badass as it looks, the placement has created a few problems.

Every time Tim reaches for fourth gear, Sherri has to dodge an incoming fist like she’s sitting ringside at a prizefight. One missed move and she could end up needing her own $20,000 dental rebuild—while Tim tries explaining to the cops how he knocked out his wife’s teeth with a “gun” inside the car.

The shifter has caused trouble outside the rat, too. At one local car show, a pearl-clutching spectator spotted it through the window and called the police, convinced Tim had left a real handgun sitting inside.

Apparently, some people can stare directly at a giant chain steering wheel, golf-cart seats, fuzzy dice, and a rusted-out rat rod—but the handmade shifter is where reality becomes too confusing.

Tim, being the thoughtful husband he is, made sure to include a custom cup holder for Sherri. Unfortunately, his act of romance fell a little short when she discovered the damn thing wouldn’t hold her 32-ounce Yeti mug.

Apparently, building a 600-horsepower rat rod is easier than meeting a wife’s beverage requirements.

You’ll also notice there’s no traditional ignition key anywhere on the dash. Bringing this beast to life requires flipping a series of switches in a specific sequence, more like starting an old warbird than firing up a car.

Get the sequence right, and the blown 383 comes roaring to life.

Get it wrong, and you sit there looking like an idiot while everyone at the car show watches.

Finishing off the rear of the build are two skeletal rats caught in what appears to be either an advanced jiu-jitsu move or a position that requires a little privacy.

Framed behind the orange-tinted rear window, the pair adds one last twisted bit of humor to a rat rod already packed with personality. Whether they’re fighting, wrestling, or working through some unresolved relationship issues is anyone’s guess—but they make damn sure the view from behind is just as entertaining as the front.

The interior is packed with oddball pieces, road-worn souvenirs, inside jokes, and salvaged parts that tell the story of Tim, Sherri, and the life they’ve lived together.

Nothing was added just to fill space. Nearly every license plate, sticker, scrap of metal, and questionable decoration has a story behind it—and most of those stories are probably better heard with Tim standing beside the car telling them himself.

So, if you ever get the chance to see this rat in person, don’t just snap a picture and walk away. Pull up a chair, spend a little time with Tim, and start asking questions.

You’ll be amazed by how many damn tales this old rat has hidden inside it.

Looking for a Custom Car Build?

Lucky for you, Tim is looking for an excuse to get the hell out of the house and back into the garage.

If you’ve got an old body, half-finished project, pile of parts, or a completely ridiculous idea that needs someone crazy enough to make it real, Tim might be your guy.

From custom fabrication and rat rod builds to one-off solutions that probably shouldn’t work—but somehow do—he’s always looking for the next challenge.

So, if you’re ready to stop talking about that damn project and actually build it, call or text Tim at (507) 829-9075

About the Brand

BUY NOW

Outlawed Ink is an apparel company for the men who still know how to turn wrenches, burn wire, chase horsepower, and bring forgotten American iron back from the dead. We make gear for rat rod builders, hot rod junkies, bikers, welders, fabricators, and every salty old bastard who would rather spend the weekend in the garage than waste it pretending to enjoy polite company.

Our shirts are lightweight, soft, and printed with a worn-in vintage feel that fits right alongside rusty steel, loud exhaust, busted knuckles, and questionable decisions. No polished corporate bullshit. No trendy fashion nonsense. Just original apparel built for men with grease under their nails, stories behind their scars, and enough attitude to build whatever the hell they want.

So quit standing there admiring somebody else’s build.

Visit the goddamn website and buy a fuckin’ shirt.

Outlawed Ink — Built for men who refuse to blend in.